The present invention relates generally to interface devices for allowing humans to interface with computer systems, and more particularly to computer interface devices that allow the user to provide input to computer systems and allow computer systems to provide haptic feedback to the user.
A user can interact with an environment displayed by a computer to perform functions and tasks on the computer, such entering data, experiencing a simulation or virtual reality environment, using a computer aided design system, operating a graphical user interface (GUI), etc. A common human-computer interface devices used for inputting information to a computer is a keyboard device, such as a standard 104-key keyboard, laptop keyboard, numeric keypad, or the like. Inputting information via a keyboard remains an efficient and often-used way of interfacing with computer systems.
Other interface devices are also used to input information to a computer system. For example, many users use a mouse, trackball, or stylus to move a cursor in a graphical environment to select various functions in the graphical environment. In other applications such as games, a joystick, steering wheel, sphere, gamepad, etc., can be used to provide input to the computer system. In some of these interface devices, force feedback or tactile feedback is also provided to the user, more generally known herein as “haptic feedback.” These types of interface devices can provide physical sensations, which are felt by the user manipulating a user manipulandum of the interface device. Typically, one or more motors or other actuators are coupled to the device and are controlled by a processor or the controlling computer system. The computer system controls forces, such as vibrations, pulses, spring forces, etc., on the device in conjunction and coordinated with computer-displayed events and interactions by sending control signals or commands to the actuators.
Many users use both a keyboard and another device, such as a mouse, when providing input to a computer system. For example, a user may use a mouse to control a cursor in a word processor to select words or sentences or paste text in a particular location. The user uses the keyboard to input the letters and other characters in the document. This presents a problem when providing tactile feedback only via a mouse or similar interface device, which is typically the case. The user must contact the mouse or other device to feel the haptic feedback, yet the user must remove his or her hand from the device when entering information with the keyboard. Thus, there are numerous times when the user is not experiencing haptic feedback due to use of the keyboard.